


Something Theon Didn't Want To Hear

by MisterStalker



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Hurting Theon's feelings, Mentions of execution
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:27:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27809857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisterStalker/pseuds/MisterStalker
Summary: Times Theon was told something he didn't want to hear. Times when those close to him saw straight through the walls he put up and revealed everything he wanted to hide.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 9





	1. "We Won't Laugh" (Compassion)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bran sees Theon kicking the head of the deserter sentenced to die by Ned Stark's sword, and he might see the reason why he does it.

The morbid events of the morning were entirely forgotten when the dire wolf pups were introduced to the Stark children of Winterfell.

Arya was the first to meet them at the gates, and the first to receive her pup and hear what Jon had found. Sansa and Rickon, in his mother’s arms, were close behind. In moments every Stark child had a pup in their arms.

Bran held his pup in his arms and let a small ear touch his cheek, the softest fur he ever felt on his skin. He looked around the room and watched young Rickon in mother’s arms, staring down possessively, proudly, and tiredly at the sleeping pup in their lap. Arya never stopped grinning, even as she now let her pup bite on one of her fingers with sharp baby teeth. Sansa sat on a chair by the fire, rocking her pup as if it were a human baby, nursing it with a little cloth dipped in milk. Rob held his pup easily in one hand and pet the length of its body with a hand almost large enough to cover the little thing. And Jon, he sat apart, turned towards a wall, admiring his snow white pup and hiding his smile as if he felt he wasn’t truly allowed to take part in this, as if he had to keep reminding himself this didn’t mean he was one of them.

Behind Jon, through the doorway, Theon watched. He wasn’t one of them although he had been around as long as Bran remembered. When Bran was very young, he thought Theon was their oldest brother, then a relative, then a peer. It wasn’t until his lessons with Maester Luwin that he learned what Theon really was, a prisoner from an old rebellion.

Father, or Lord Stark to Theon, was a kind man and let him stand beside his sons often, as if he were their peer. He never spoke of the duty one of them might bear some day, to take Theon’s head.

Suddenly, Bran’s mind filled with the unwelcome image of the beheading from that morning. The condemned man’s head hit the ground, jarringly lifeless, and Theon kicked it and laughed. Jon muttered under his breath, “Ass.”

Jon had honour, like father. Robb respected duties, like mother. And Bran, he saw more than he suspected boys his age usually did. He saw anger and hate and fear in Theon’s face as he laughed at the rolling head.

Bran left the room, unnoticed, and approached Theon. Before the ward could speak, he offered the pup into his arms. Reluctantly, Theon accepted the little creature and let his fingers sink into the thick fur to feel the softness and warmth.

“Earlier today, at the sentencing,” Bran started to speak. Theon smirked but didn’t look up. “I just wanted you to know, if it ever comes to it, if King Baratheon calls for your head,” Theon froze, and the young boy continued speaking, “we won’t laugh.”

Bran wasn’t sure why Theon even laughed. How could anyone laugh with so much anger and fear in his eyes? But he was sure that no one of them could laugh if he was sentenced to die by that terrifying sword, and surely that would make Theon feel better.

But instead, Theon pushed the wolf pup into Bran’s arms again, rough enough to push him off balance. Before he could say anything else, the ironborn ward was gone.


	2. We Have More In Common Than We Like to Admit (Olive Branch)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon and Theon have more in common than either wanted to admit. They both held onto their pride like it was the only thing that no one could take from them, but Jon was the first to see the olive branch and offer it. Theon didn't want to hear it.

The Great Hall was filled with noise and light, and Jon tried to not look at it as he hurried along an empty pathway. He tried not to listen to the argument warring within his head regarding the injustice of it all.

Catelyn Stark didn’t want the noble guests to see the shame of Winterfell, Ned Stark’s bastard. As if King Baratheon himself hadn’t whelped bastard children of his own before he went to war for Lyanna, his lady love; and then some more during the war, and some after again, despite his marriage to the lady Cersei. Reason argued back, within his mind, that those bastards were not welcome here either.

“Snow” The word, or rather, his name, pulled him from his silent reflection and he looked up. Theon was watching him with a smirk that always ruined Jon’s temper. He hated that the other seemed to think his name was an insult. But he pushed those feelings down to truly regard Theon a moment longer.

Jon was always much closer to Robb. Effortlessly warm and charismatic Robb, who never made Jon feel like anything less than a full brother. He wondered if Theon felt the same way. Perhaps the two of them were, in their own minds, full brothers to the noble Robb Stark, and yet strangers to each other.

They didn’t need to be strangers, especially when they were the only two men outside of the Great Hall that bothered to acknowledge each other this evening.

A cold wind snapped through the courtyard and Jon felt it sting his pink nose more than anything else, but Theon shuddered and brought his shoulders up. Jon nodded to the covered pathway to the Great Keep and said, “Come on then.”

Theon demanded, “What is it?” but followed him anyway.

Ghost trotted ahead through the doors of the Great Keep and shook the snow flakes from his white fur. Jon closed the door after Theon to block out the wind and the cold it brought with it.

The silence was not comfortable or easy, but Jon wanted to feel good about himself, that he hadn’t left the other out in the snow, waiting for someone to notice him and invite him into the Great Hall for the King’s Banquet.

He considered Theon’s clothing and pitied him a little now. He was dressed nicely in a black tunic with gold embroidery, his house colours. He had to know that Lady Stark did not want their hostage from the Greyjoy rebellion to be at King Baratheon’s feast, but maybe he hoped someone might change her mind.

“Lord Stark is quite kind to us.” Jon stated as he dusted snow from his cloak with a gloved hand. “It’s almost enough to forget we aren’t one of them… until his Lady has something to say.”

Theon was silent, but his expression said volumes. He was angry at every word Jon said to explain how he understood him. Jon wondered if his own long face was too serious now, if Theon didn’t understand he was making a friendly gesture.

Jon continued, “We live here in a castle that isn’t really our home, with a family that isn’t really ours, learning customs we’re not meant to be a part of… We have more in common than we like to admit-”

“Bite your tongue, bastard.” Theon interrupted with a vicious tone that surprised Jon. “We don’t have anything in common!”

The younger man’s serious frown settled onto his face again as he rebutted, “Theon, you misunderstand-”

“No! We are nothing alike! The Greyjoys were as noble as the Starks ever were. And we were nearly kings again. I could have been a prince, had the rebellion been different!”

Jon was silent now. Theon wasn’t talking to him, he realised, he was arguing with himself. He was overflowing with words that silently stirred in him and enraged him all night, and Jon was just the one to make him spill it out.

“I’m every bit as royal as that crowned hog in the Great Hall, or any one of his- his piglets!” Theon declared loudly. He was lucky that everyone was in the Great Hall. If anyone else heard this outburst, Theon would certainly be made to answer for it.

Theon continued speaking and Jon heard it all in silence. The ward was breathless now, and not as loud any more, which was likely safer for both of them. Jon watched his face and how the anger washed over him again and again.

He had no idea Theon hated him so much, that he would be so ruined by even thinking about what they had in common.

**Author's Note:**

> I was cleaning out Google Docs and found this unfinished work from 2017! Hah! I immediately fell in love with Theon again. It seemed like a shame to let it sit forever, so I'll put it online and hope someone enjoys it!


End file.
